NEW DELHI, Jan 12 (Reuters) – India’s clean energy ministry on Monday granted renewable energy developers extra time to commission projects delayed by a Supreme Court case on power transmission lines in habitats of the endangered Great Indian Bustard.
The ministry said delays in securing approvals for overhead transmission lines in the bird’s habitat areas in Rajasthan and Gujarat will qualify as “force majeure”, allowing developers to seek extensions to scheduled commissioning dates, according to a ministry order issued on Monday.
The decision comes after a December 2025 Supreme Court verdict that ended the long-running case and backed an expert panel’s proposal to protect the bird.
The panel proposed tighter limits on new wind and large solar projects inside the bird’s habitat zones. It also called for undergrounding key power distribution lines and rerouting high-voltage corridors.
The court had earlier curbed overhead lines in bustard habitats, prompting developers to hold back projects while they awaited clearances.
In its Monday order, the ministry told the country’s renewable energy implementation agencies to grant extensions for delays between March 21, 2024 and December 19, 2025.
The order did not state how long the extensions will run.
Developers have faced the risk of disconnection and penalties from India’s transmission authority as project timelines slipped.
India aims to reach 500 gigawatts of non-fossil-fuel power capacity by 2030, but the country’s transmission network, spanning about 495,000 circuit kilometres, has lagged the growth in generation capacity.
The ministry also asked the power ministry and grid operators to provide corresponding relief on connectivity and transmission charges for affected projects.
(Reporting by Sethuraman NR; Editing by Tasim Zahid)
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